A California airport was left without air traffic controllers for six hours | Official Website of Louis Velazquez, entrepreneur, finance guy and tech innovator

With the government shutdown now in its seventh day, staffing issues have extended into multiple industries including aviation.

While air traffic controllers are considered essential workers who will continue to work even when the government is shut down, they will operate without pay until it ends like all government employees.

At a press conference at Newark Airport on Oct. 6, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said there has been a “slight tick up” in controllers calling in sick or otherwise not showing up to work amid the shutdown. Due to the high-stress/high-skill nature of the job, the industry has already been dealing with understaffing that stretches back decades — according to one analysis, more than 90% of the air traffic towers across the country’s airports have been understaffed before the shutdown began.

As a result, airports like Newark Liberty and Denver International have already started to see disruptions due to staffing issues. Hollywood Burbank International Airport (BUR) was hit the hardest since, between 4 and 10 p.m. on Oct. 6, its main traffic tower was left without a single controller as flights still continued to land and take off with some delay.

Flights continued as Hollywood Burbank Airport left without air traffic controllers

“Operations are continuing at Hollywood Burbank Airport,” the airport said in a statement on X. “Please check with your airline before arriving at the airport for updates on possible delays or cancellations.”

The obvious safety concern caused an immediate outcry amid both travelers and lawmakers who criticized their political rivals for prolonging the shutdown by not negotiating on changes to pass the budget bill (Republicans are refusing to negotiate Democrat requests to reverse some of the Medicaid cuts passed under Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” in July).

“Thanks, @realDonaldTrump!” California Governor Gavin Newsom, whose caustic social media posts criticizing the administration have started to gain popularity in recent weeks, wrote on X. “Burbank Airport has ZERO air traffic controllers from 4:15pm to 10pm today because of YOUR government shutdown.”

While Southern California’s TRACON continued to monitor the airspace around Burbank, flights operated with major delays amid the emergency measures. Flight data published by the airport shows that the average flight was delayed by two hours and 31 minutes on Monday night while at least 10 were canceled entirely.

A nationwide shortage of eligible air traffic controllers dates back decades.

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What is going to happen to my flight if the government shutdown continues?

Hollywood Burbank is located 18 miles outside of downtown Los Angeles and serves the area alongside LAX but is more frequently used by regional and low-cost airlines.

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In response to questions on how a prolonged government shutdown would affect airports across the country and Burbank in particular, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said that it will be making calls as the situation progresses.

“As Secretary Duffy said, there have been increased staffing shortages across the system,” an FAA spokesperson told NBC. “When that happens, the FAA slows traffic into some airports to ensure safe operations.”

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association representing over 20,000 air traffic controllers and engineers, meanwhile issued a statement in which it called the situation in Burbank “the latest example of how fragile our aviation system is in the midst of a national shortage of these critical safety professionals.”